Lemon Meringue Pudding

Ingredients

Lemon Curd

6 large egg yolks

1 cup granulated sugar

1/2 cup fresh lemon juice

1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened, cut into tablespoons

Meringue Cookies

2 large egg whites, room temperature

1/4 teaspoon cream of tartar

2/3 cup granulated sugar

Directions

• To make Lemon Curd: Whisk together egg yolks, granulated sugar, and lemon juice in a medium saucepan. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly so mixture does not boil, until mixture thickens, about 8-10 minutes. When thickened, remove from heat and immediately stir in butter, 1 tablespoon at a time, until mixture is smooth. Cool completely and spoon into individual dessert cups. Cover each cup and chill until ready to use.
• To make Meringue Cookies: Preheat oven to 275 degrees. Line a baking sheet with wax paper and spray paper with a non-stick cooking spray. Beat egg whites on high speed until soft peaks form. Add cream of tartar and mix. Gradually add sugar, beating on high speed until stiff peaks form. Drop by heaping teaspoon 2 inches apart on prepared baking sheet. Use back of spoon to form meringue into peaks. Bake for 15-20 minutes. Turn off oven and let dry for another 10 minutes. Remove from oven and cool thoroughly. Gently peel off paper and store in an airtight container until ready to use.
• When ready to serve simply top the lemon curd in the cups with a meringue cookie or two and serve immediately.

  Makes about 4 - 6 dessert cup servings and 36 meringue cookies